Blood Brothers
by PinkPenguin18
Summary: *Spoilers* One shot collection focused on Jack and Tony's FRIENDSHIP. No slash, I'm afraid. Temporary title. Please let me know what you think!


**Welcome!**

**This is my second 24 fic. It's going to be a collection of oneshots dealing with Jack/Tony friendship moments. No slash here, I'm afraid! **

**Hope you enjoy, please review!!**

_10.20am - Two weeks after Day 1_

Jack Bauer turned his head slightly as the sharp morning breeze swept across his face. He squinted in the bright sunlight straight ahead of him as he sat on the small wall. His fingers were interlocked loosely, elbows resting on his knees and his deep black tie was swept over his shoulder.

It was a warm day, but Jack felt a shiver creep up his back as he stared into the middle distance of the CTU car park. There were only a handful of agents at work today; most normal days only needed a few to follow up ongoing leads. This was only the second time he had been back since the Drazen incident.

The other being to pick up the body of his dead wife.

Another shiver crept up Jack's spine as he remembered that moment. He felt…detached, almost as if he was just a casual observer to the pain of another. This place held nothing but cold, stony memories to him, memories he would sooner forget.

Then what drew him back? Even Jack wasn't sure. Perhaps it was the feeling of emptiness, the feeling of being just an emotionless shell with nothing to cling to. It freed him from the strains of human emotion. CTU was a machine. It felt nothing. It's role was solely to do it's duty and not to have a connection with the outside world. Jack had allowed himself to have a connection, and the machine punished him for it. Only here did Jack fully feel empty, fully free.

And only at CTU did Jack feel he was getting the punishment he so truly deserved.

He crinkled his nose slightly, the oh-so-familiar lump rising in the back of his throat. Another agent stepped silently past him into the building, the clicks of her heels being the only sound to break the impenetrable silence in Jack's mind.

For he was his own company now. Kim had detached herself from him and fallen into her own empty shell. Jack had tried to comfort her at first, pushing his own pain to the back of his mind to help his daughter. It had become too much for them both, however, and Jack had not seen Kim for days.

This day was supposed to change that.

Jack straightened his left arm out in front of him quickly, allowing the sleeve of his jacket to slip up his arm and reveal his black and silver CTU-standard wristwatch. He brought his wrist towards him and, almost absent-mindedly, stared at the round watch face.

10.22 am.

The ceremony would have started in 7 minutes ago

Jack continued to stare at the watch, vision glazing once again, ignoring the sounds of cars coming and going around him. He blinked slowly, trying to rid his mind of visions of the ongoing ceremony. Visions of his and Terri's family. Of his friends. And of the crying face of his daughter.

That image haunted him. Jack scowled to himself, still holding his watch up, trying to rid his mind of such an image. She should not be feeling pain such as that, it was Jack's cross to bear. It was his fault after all.

"Jack?"

Jack crinkled his forehead up more, lowering his watch hand slowly. His breathing quickened slightly as the sound of his name escaped his hearing. Kim was still crying. Silent tears flowed down her cheeks as she held her hands before her, the coffin of her mother standing mere feet away from her. Jack blinked, image changing. He saw that small computer server room in CTU. Terri was sat with her back to him. He reached out a hand and spun her round, her lifeless form shocking him to the core. The scene changed as he blinked again. The feeling of his wife and his daughter in his arms overpowered him. They were kneeling on the floor of the small barn Kim and Terri had been held in. He was clutching them both as tightly as he could, as if he would never let go. Every ounce of his body swelled with relief. He was back with them now.

"Jack, are you ok? Jack!"

The last call snapped Jack out of his trance as he physically jumped. Blinking quickly, Jack looked around him before focusing on the taller figure stood before him.

"Jack…I've been looking all over for you."

Tony Almeida strode forwards slowly and sat beside Jack on the wall. His breathing had slowed once more and Tony felt relieved to have finally found his former boss.

Truth be told, he had never really liked Jack. His methods were borderline at best and his constant authoritarian attitude to the rest of the team did more than rile him. Not to mention his relationship with Nina…

Nina. That name brought a swell of rage within Tony every time he heard it. He had trusted her and she had thrown it straight back in his face. Maybe that was why he was inclined to help Jack at this time.

'The enemy of the enemy is my friend', after all.

Friend. That word had a thousand meanings. One thing Tony was sure of, however, was that a friend was exactly what Jack needed at this time.

"The ceremony started nearly 10 minutes ago, Jack," Tony said quietly, watching his former boss carefully, "We've been looking for you everywhere. Kim was very worried."

Jack's eye twitched at the sound of his daughter's name and Tony saw the faint glistening of tears forming in the man's eyes. He watched silently as Jack's shoulders lurched, releasing the tears down his slightly worn face.

"I can't imagine what you must be feeling right now, Jack, I really can't," Tony started cautiously, "but I think it would be best if we were to head over to the funeral to-"

"It wasn't just Terri I lost that day, Tony."

Tony did a double take as Jack's croaky voice interrupted him. Jack's shoulders were shaking violently as Tony considered what was best to say.

"What do you mean, Jack?" Tony mentally admonished himself for being too pressing with his questions and began to stutter a faint apology, "I'm sorry, you don't have to tell me, I-"

"She was pregnant."

Tony's eyes widened, "Oh my god, Jack…"

"I never told anyone. I'm not even sure if Kim knew. She told me just as I was to go and hand myself over to the Drazens in exchange for Kim. I didn't know what to think…sure, I was happy, but I was also devastated. Devastated I would never see this child grow up. Devastated I would never be able to be a father to them like I was to Kim."

"Jack, you shouldn't-"

"It should have been me, Tony!" Jack raised his voice and turned to his co-worker, fists clenched into tight balls, "I was prepared to sacrifice myself for them, it was my fault they were even involved in this. My fault Kim got taken. My fault Terri was left with Kevin Carroll. My fault-"

Tony did what he felt he could only do in this situation; he grabbed Jack by the shoulders and pulled him tightly into a hug. Jack's mumbling slowed as he rested his head on Tony's shoulder.

"My fault…my…fault…"

"Nothing was your fault, Jack," Tony said as he released him, holding his shoulders at arm's length, "You could have done nothing to prevent what those bastards did to you and your family. It was an impossible situation; a hellish situation, and you did your damned best at resolving it."

"I failed her, Tony."

"You didn't, Jack," Tony smiled slightly, "You rescued Kim. If you were to ask Terri what your task was that day, I'll bet my entire Cubs collection that she would say it was to rescue Kim. You did what any father, and husband, would; move heaven and earth to save his family. You did a better job than I would have done! Heck, I would have probably ended up killing Palmer!"

Jack laughed dryly, wiping a hand across his eyes.

"But seriously, Jack," Tony continued, "It's easy for me to say 'the past is gone' and all that, but you need to be here for Kim now. She needs you more than ever. It's going to be hard, but I'll be here for you if you need someone to scream at, alright?"

Jack hesitated before looking back up.

"You're a good friend, Tony, you know that?"


End file.
